Tag Archives: 89 points

First Drop Mothers Milk Shiraz Barossa 2014

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

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I have tasted the 2010 Mothers Milk before and really enjoyed it, so much so that I have been on the lookout ever since.  Moxie and I were in New Jersey this past weekend and I took the opportunity to visit The Wine Library, a wine store I have shopped from online and have been following for some time.  They used to have a great podcast on wine tastings and they started http://cinderellawine.com.

I was super excited to revisit this wine.  On the nose- cherry and blackberry with red licorice.  On the initial attack there is raspberry coulis and black cherry juice flavors.  Really slight tannins open up after a while on the mid palate through to the finish, where I’m getting sour cherry from the acid.  Easy to drink and delightful, this wine is not complex but offers a balanced mouthfeel and hides the 14.5% alcohol beautifully.  This is an easy wine to quaff but would pair nicely with pizza, grilled lamb chops or a hearty winter stew.  89 points and 4 stars for this $13 effort.  Salut…

first drop mothers milk 2014

Cosentino ‘The FRANC’ Cabernet Franc Lodi 2014

24 Monday Oct 2016

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A see through purple that indicates to me a textbook amount of extraction for this seductive and silky grape.  A nose of black fruits, oak and black cherry.  I have come across this profile before, but not in a Cabernet Franc.  On the palate there is a really delicious black cherry component that mixes it up with violets.  The tannins are well integrated yet offer a certain dryness that goes well with many foods.  The mid palate and finish continue the tastes found initially and the wine rounds out with a decent mid length finish that has a tar component.  I am really enjoying this wine, not just because I love Cab Franc, but because it adheres to some of the basic tenets of the grape yet goes into uncharted territory for me.  89 points from me and for $13 it is a good deal worth 4 stars.  Salut….
cosentino the franc

Cosentino Semillon Napa Valley 2015

24 Monday Oct 2016

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Gorgeous pale gold color gives way to a nose of persimmon, ginger root and cut grass.  On the palate it introduces lemons, star fruit and a waxy component.  Sharp and cutting, it rounds out the midpalate with hazelnut.  Vanilla bean is present on the finish, which is of medium length.  This wine is racy and easy to drink.  It would pair well with oysters on the half, perhaps a middle eastern mezza, or you can be adventurous like me and serve it with Chili.  I’m a member of this winery and get an allotment twice a year, this one was a good surprise!  It retails at $24 and gets 89 points.  4 Stars from me and a repeat buy on the next order!  Salut….
cosentino semicolon napa valley

Morgan Metallic Unoaked Chardonnay Monterey County Central Coast California 2013

08 Saturday Oct 2016

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My folks were in town and took us out to dinner at this great new seafood place.  Mum loves the Chard and we were there for seafood so it made sense to order something white and refreshing.  On the nose this wine presents apple, melon and a hint of citrus.  Being unoaked I was expecting something really steely, perhaps overly flinty or minerally but this wine was well balanced and did not overstretch itself.  Anjou pear, a touch of minerality and some citrus notes were what was on offer.  Well balanced and not too acidic.  The folks and Moxie don’t like them to cut too much.  I enjoyed this wine immensely and my folks raved about it.  I think it warrants 89 points and I have found it online for $21, which is shocking considering we only paid $35 at the restaurant.  3 stars and worthy of buying a few for some trout on the grill, perhaps some shrimp scampi.  Salut….

morgan unoaked chardonnay

Michel Chiarlo Barolo Palas 2010

17 Saturday Sep 2016

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I got this bottle as a gift and thought I would open it to pair with some hearty pasta.  The wine turns out to command a lofty price in excess of $50, and got decent scores from the pros.  Here’s my take:

Slight bricking on the edges with a coppery tint in the glass.  A delightful nose of cherry and earth.  The first taste is sour cherry and green peppers.  The acidity that this wine opens with carries on through to the mid palate.  Right now it is one dimensional.  There are some good tannins that round the wine out but to be honest it is too young.  89 points from me and pretty much a pass unless it shapes up and gets a little bit of flab, some more fruit and a little less acidity.  This may happen if it gets some bottle age and nature is kind.  2 stars from me.  Salut….

michele chiarlo pales barolo

Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2010, Yarra Valley Australia

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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I got an email recently advertising this wine at a crazy good price, under $10 for a 90+point wine.  I was intrigued and bought a few bottles.

A nice purple that did not quite show over the top extraction that presented a nose of baked plums, blackcurrants and vanilla. The initial taste is somewhat expected with respect to my comment about extraction. This wine is far more subtle and refined compared to some of the more bombastic Aussie Shiraz’s I have tasted. It does come with a price though, 14.5% alcohol that just slips by unnoticed. The flavors are delicious, with blue fruits, a hint of pepper and violets. Tannins still lurk in the background and give the wine a nice crunch.  The acidity is ever so slight and does not overpower. The mid palate is where this wine shines, the fruit is very much alive and the mouthfeel hits its pinnacle. The finish is decent in length and gives a nice tannic coating that does not overpower. Overall a delicious wine that I am having with homemade pizza baked in the Big Green Egg.  89 points and 4 stars based on it’s normal retail of $16. Drink now- 2020.  Salut….

bering station shiraz viognier yarra valley

Scribe Pinot Noir III. Storm King 2014

27 Saturday Feb 2016

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From a friend’s cellar-  Nose of raspberry and Bing cherry. Initial taste consists of a certain effervescence to go with raspberry coulis and some cherry juice. Mild tannins and slight acidity make it easy drinking. The mid palate shows off more cherries and some green vegetal hints. The finish is tart with hints of pomegranate and more effervescence. 89 points from me make this $42 offering a 3 star wine.  Pairing wise, it probably could use some Venison or other game.  Salut….

scribe pinot noir storm king

Havens Black and Blue Napa Valley 2012

18 Sunday Oct 2015

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Bright purple edges in the glass. Nose of bramble and blue fruits. Bright and airy initial attack of blueberry pie, iodine and vanilla. Cinnamon and crime brûlée hints come out mid palate. Soft tannins and low acidity make this easy to drink now and in the near future. Full flavored yet somewhat light and lithe- this is an easy wine to enjoy with or without food. 89 points. $19 and 3 stars.  Salut….

havens black and blue

Leoville Barton 2001

07 Friday Aug 2015

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I bought a case of this many moons ago and have just started to drink the wines of this Bordeaux vintage.  The ’01 Leoville Barton I drank before was sublime.  The consensus was a 2022 peak, I’m not so sure now, or else I had bottle variation.

Still bright purple but a broken cork and low top fill gave me cause for concern.  Classic Bordeaux cassis nose with blueberry and cherry entrance were overshadowed by the fact that the wine was a little thin. Tasty mid palate but it lacked weight. Good acidity and firm tannins. Drink sooner rather than later unfortunately.  89-91 points.  3 stars now but I’m hoping it was a one-off bottle.  Salut….

leoville barton 2001

Edmeades Zinfandel Mendocino County 2012

19 Sunday Jul 2015

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If you read my write up on the Lagarde Malbec you will know that we were at dinner with friends.  The Malbec never made it to the table, this tasty Zinfandel was more than up to the task of handling our beef short rib dinner.  I made some quick notes as Moxie was giving me the evil-eye for using my phone at the table.

Reddish purple with long legs in the glass. Nose of cinnamon, plums, orange peel and some vanilla.  Initial tastes of plum and cinnamon with gently spiced cola. Tannins are subdued with a balance of acidity. 89 points and very food friendly. It sorted out the ribs with their strong flavors and offset the fat found in such a tender and delicious cut.  The finish is mid length. This wine will pair well with any marbled meats and could stand up to a hearty BBQ with its spice component.  A bargain at $15 this one may need to bought in bulk.  4 stars from me.  Drink 2015-2018.  Salut….

Edmeades Zinfandel Mendocino County